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Bhubaneswar, March 21: Tragedy struck vendors of the Unit II Capital market on Holi as a fire gutted 15 roadside shops destroying property worth Rs 90 lakh.
While 14 of these shops sold linen bed sheets and pillow covers, one sold helmets and belts. No FIR has been lodged in connection with the fire, which broke around 3.50pm on Sunday.
Local shopkeepers said that unextinguished cigarette butts left behind by Holi revellers might have caused the fire. Some others alleged that people opposing the roadside vendors might have caused the fire. However, the cigarette butt theory appeared to be more credible.
Most people left the market around 2pm on Sunday after playing Holi but some stayed back for more fun. They drank and smoked inside the market.
“We have a strong suspicion that they left a few smouldering cigarette butts behind. These could have led to the fire. But now no one would own up,” said a shopkeeper.
The tragedy has turned most shopkeepers into paupers.
Sandeep Patra, one of the vendors, said: “My family depended on me as I am the eldest son. But as materials worth Rs 15 lakh were destroyed I have nothing left to feed them. In fact, I had borrowed Rs 8 lakh for business. I don’t know what to do now.”
The mood in the market has turned gloomy. Niranjan Das (34), another shopkeeper, said: “From where will I get the money to restart my business? The government should ask the banks to finance us.”
Masood Malida (51) was inconsolable. “All my hopes of getting my family settled here turned into ashes right before my eyes. Everything that I had earned in the last 15 years is gone,” he said.
The shopkeepers are even more worried as they have no insurance coverage.
“The state government is yet to start an the insurance policy for roadside vendors. It is yet to follow the guidelines of the national policy on street vendors in this regard,” said Pratap Sahu, president of the roadside vendors association.
The mayor of the city Ananta Jena, said: “The administration has already swung into action. We have provided the shopkeepers’ bamboos and tarpaulin to rebuild their shops. The demand for constructing a permanent structure will be looked into.”
The roadside vendors were also worried about the money- lenders. “As we don’t get loans from the banks, we used to take loan from moneylenders. All of them have visited the spot and assured us to give more time to repay our loans,” said N. Islam.
Islam further said that they would require at least one-year to repay their loans to the moneylenders.
“There has been also apprehension that the big business houses will turn down our request to give business materials on credit,” he added.
Other businessmen said even after they started their business they would not be able to get the insurance coverage.
“Unless we have a permanent structure, no insurance company will give us the insurance benefit. The municipal corporation, instead of providing the bamboo and tarpaulin to construct temporary shops, should build permanent structure for us by providing us finance,” said local entrepreneurs.
The entrepreneurs said timely action by few people had helped in dousing the fire. Otherwise it would have spread to other parts and engulfed the entire market building that has more than 200 shops.
